Disease mapping is a method used to descript the geographical variation in risk (heterogeneity of risk) and to provide the potential reason (factors or confounders) to explain the distribution. Possibly the most famous uses of disease mapping in epidemiology were the studies by John Snow of the cholera epidemics in London. Accurate estimation relative risk of small areas such as mortality and morbidity, by different age, ethnic group, interval and regions, is important for government agencies to identify hazards and mitigate disease burden.
